153 A. Reading: History of American Political Parties (78/59) -- American Government

153 A. Reading: History of American Political Parties Learning Objectives After reading this section, you should be able to answer the following questions: - What is a political party? - What were James Madison’s fears about political factions? - How did American political parties develop? - How did political machines function? Political parties are enduring organizations under whose labels candidates seek and hold elective offices.[1] Parties develop and implement rules governing elections. They help organize government leadership.[2] Political parties have been likened to public utilities, such as water and power companies, because they provide vital services for a democracy. The endurance and adaptability of American political parties is best understood by examining their colorful historical development. Parties evolved from factions in the eighteenth century to political machines in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century, parties underwent waves of reform that some argue initiated a period of decline. The renewed parties of today are service-oriented organizations dispensing assistance and resources to candidates and politicians.[3] Link: The Development of Political Parties A timeline of the development of political parties can be accessed here. Fear of Faction The founders of the Constitution were fearful of the rise of factions, groups in society that organize to advance a political agenda. They designed a government of checks and balances that would prevent any one group from becoming too influential. James Madison famously warned in Federalist No. 10 of the “mischiefs of faction,” particularly a large majority that could seize control of government.[4] The suspicion of parties persisted among political leaders for more than a half century after the founding. President James Monroe opined in 1822, “Surely our government may go on and prosper without the existence of parties. I have always considered their existence as the curse of the country.”[5] Despite the ambiguous feelings expressed by the founders, the first modern political party, the Federalists, appeared in the United States in 1789, more than three decades before parties developed in Great Britain and other western nations.[6] Since 1798, the United States has only experienced one brief period without national parties, from 1816 to 1827, when infighting following the War of 1812 tore apart the Federalists and the Republicans.[7] Parties As Factions The first American party system had its origins in the period following the Revolutionary War. Despite Madison’s warning in Federalist No. 10, the first parties began as political factions. Upon taking office in 1789, President George Washington sought to create an “enlightened administration” devoid of political parties.[8] He appointed two political adversaries to his cabinet, Alexander Hamilton as treasury secretary and Thomas Jefferson as secretary of state, hoping that the two great minds could work together in the nati